Parenting

Friday, February 6

Technically, it's still Friday, and I said I'd post the last part of our Valentine garland sampler today. I'm counting the hanging apparatus, a red painted yardstick, as the finishing touch on this decorative display.I do love an old yardstick, especially a painted one. I wiped this one down, painted it with my kids' washable red tempera, and coated it with acrylic gloss medium. I stuck a piece of sturdy velcro (white like our walls) to each end of the yardstick and the corresponding pieces of velcro to the top of an archway between our dining room and living room and pressed it into place. It was easy to slip the garland loops over the ends of the yardstick and I love that I can easily pull the whole thing down and add or rearrange hanging elements. I can see getting more use out of this system throughout the year.Oh, and I did make one other decoration to hang with our garland. A three-sided paper heart. You could hang these individually or as garland. Cut three same-size hearts in same-color or coordinating papers. Score down the middle of the backside of each. Fold slightly, stick the backsides of the hearts together, making sure to stick in your fishing line or string before sticking down the third side.